George Clay Ginty

George Clay Ginty (February 14, 1840 – December 9, 1890) was a Canadian American immigrant, politician, and journalist. A Republican, he was elected to one term each in the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly and was founder of the Green Bay Gazette which still operates today as the Green Bay Press-Gazette—the main local paper of Green Bay, Wisconsin. He also served as a Union Army officer in the American Civil War and a United States Marshal near the end of his life.

George C. Ginty
Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 30th district
In office January 5, 1885 – January 7, 1889
Preceded by	Rockwell J. Flint
Succeeded by	William Miller
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Door–Oconto–Shawano district
In office January 5, 1863 – January 4, 1864
Preceded by	Ezra B. Stevens
Succeeded by	Herman Naber
Personal details
Born	February 14, 1840 Toronto, Upper Canada, British North America
Died	December 9, 1890 (aged 50) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Cause of death	Liver dysfunction
Resting place	Forest Hill Cemetery Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Flora Beall Outhwaite ​ ​ (m. 1861; died 1907)​
Children	Frances C. Ginty ^(died 1932) William C. Ginty ^(b. 1868; died 1937) Elizabeth B. Ginty
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1864–1865
Rank	Colonel, USV Brevet Brig. General, USV
Commands	47th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Second Battle of Memphis

Biography

Ginty was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1840.[1] He moved with his parents to Racine, Wisconsin in 1853.[2] In 1859, he moved to Oconto, Wisconsin. Ginty later moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin and Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. He died in Madison, Wisconsin on December 9, 1890.[1][3] At the time of his death, he was a member of the United States Marshals Service, acting as Marshal of the Western District of Wisconsin.

Newspaper career

Ginty founded the Oconto Pioneer in 1859[1] and served as editor and publisher of the paper until 1865. In 1866, he founded the Green Bay Gazette[1] and in 1868, he founded the Chippewa Falls Herald.[1] He later served as editor and publisher of the Herald from 1870 to 1890. From 1875 to 1878, Ginty was president of the Wisconsin Editorial Association.

Military career

Ginty joined the Union Army in 1864 during the American Civil War as major of the 39th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment on June 3, 1864.[4] He was mustered out of the volunteers on September 22, 1864.[4] He rejoined the army on February 23, 1865, as colonel of the 47th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[4] He was mustered out of the volunteers after this service on September 4, 1865.[4] On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Ginty for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from September 28, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[5]

Political career

Ginty was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1863 and the Wisconsin State Senate from 1884 to 1888.[3] He was a Republican.

References

1. "Sank Quietly to Sleep". The Weekly Wisconsin. December 13, 1890. p. 1. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Ginty, George Clay 1840 - 1890". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
3. "Gen. Ginty Dead". The Centralia Enterprise and Tribune. December 13, 1890. p. 2. Retrieved December 18, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. p. 256
5. Eicher, 2001, p. 746.

Further reading

• Quiner, Edwin B. (1866). "Regimental History – Forty Second to Fifty Third Infantry". The Military History of Wisconsin. Chicago: Clark & Co. pp. 863–864.

External links

George Clay Ginty at Find a Grave